How to Get Ancient Bone, Ancient Bark & Ancient Lava in Palworld

Last updated: September 8, 2026 — fully updated for Palworld patch v1.0.4 (released September 7, 2026). Changes from the patch are marked throughout.

TL;DR: Ancient Bone, Ancient Bark, and Ancient Lava are rare endgame crafting materials added in Palworld 1.0. None of them can be bought from merchants.
Each material has its own Wildlife Sanctuary island — one material per sanctuary.
Ancient Bark — chop glowing tree stumps at Wildlife Sanctuary No. 1 (south, coordinates 57, -677). [v1.0.4] Now gatherable by any Pal with Lumbering at any level — the work suitability requirement dropped to Lv. 1.
Ancient Lava — mine purple glowing nodes at Wildlife Sanctuary No. 2 (west, coordinates -677, -113).
Ancient Bone — mine skeletal ribcage formations at Wildlife Sanctuary No. 3 (northeast, coordinates 664, 636).
All sanctuaries are guarded by PIDF drones. Being spotted triggers a Wanted status.
Each node drops roughly 30 materials per harvest. Use a high-tier pickaxe or the Plasma Multicutter for the fastest results.
Late-game players can use the Ancient Relic Recycler to produce these materials passively. [v1.0.4] The related Ancient Material Synthesizer had its collision and work-speed persistence bugs fixed.
[v1.0.4 New] Two new sub-missions — Beyond Dimensions and From the Far Side of the Moon — are now available at Fisherman’s Point on Mount Obsidian, aimed at endgame players.

Ancient Bone, Ancient Bark, and Ancient Lava in Palworld are three endgame materials introduced in the 1.0 full release. They are not dropped by Pals, not sold by any merchant, and not found in regular chests. Every piece of endgame gear that uses them is gated behind a trip to one of the three Wildlife Sanctuary islands on the map. This guide tells you exactly where each one is, how to get there, what tool to use, how to deal with the drone patrols, and what you can craft with each material — with all v1.0.4 changes noted in context.

Table of Contents

What Are Ancient Materials in Palworld?

Ancient Bone, Ancient Bark, and Ancient Lava are Uncommon-rarity crafting materials that only exist in Palworld 1.0. They are used exclusively to craft high-tier endgame accessories — the best gear in the game. None of them are available from Wandering Merchants, and none drop from normal Pals or enemy encounters.

Each of the three Wildlife Sanctuaries on Palpagos Islands holds one of these materials. The resource nodes glow and sparkle, making them easy to spot once you know what you are looking for. Every node gives approximately 30 of its material per harvest. The more important factor is that all three sanctuaries are restricted zones patrolled by PIDF security drones, so every farming run involves avoiding detection or dealing with the consequences.

Do not confuse these with regular materials. Ancient Bone is completely different from standard Bone. Ancient Bark has nothing to do with ordinary Wood. Ancient Lava is not the same as regular lava terrain. They are their own distinct resource types with their own dedicated farming locations.

How to Navigate the Wildlife Sanctuaries

Before diving into each location, there are a few things that apply to all three sanctuaries.

No fast travel inside. None of the three sanctuaries have a fast travel point. You must fly or swim to each one using a flying or swimming Pal mount.
PIDF drones patrol all sanctuaries. Entering the dome triggers their attention. They sweep the terrain with searchlights. If a drone’s red light catches you, you get a Wanted status and PIDF officers begin spawning to chase you.
To clear Wanted status, break line of sight behind a rock or structure and stay hidden until the heat drops. Flying high on a fast mount is the quickest method — the PIDF cannot follow you into the air.
The smash-and-grab approach works fine. Many players simply fly in, mine or chop as fast as possible, and fly out before the situation escalates. The drones deal heavy damage if you let them get sustained hits in, so staying mobile is key.
Bring a healer Pal. Pals like Herbil or Teafant can heal or revive you inside the sanctuary if you take drone hits, which is especially useful on the harder sanctuaries.
[v1.0.4] The Mercy Hit passive is now fixed for mounted combat. If you wear Pal Tamer’s Glasses (crafted with Ancient Bark — see below), their Mercy Hit effect now correctly prevents your mount’s attacks from killing a target below 1 HP. This makes the glasses worth equipping during sanctuary capture attempts.

How to Get Ancient Bark in Palworld

Ancient Bark comes from Wildlife Sanctuary No. 1, the first and most accessible of the three sanctuaries. It sits on the southern part of the map, off the coast near the starting area.

v1.0.4 Change — Work Suitability Requirement Dropped to Lv. 1

Before patch v1.0.4, gathering Ancient Bark at a base required a mid-to-high tier Lumbering Pal. As of September 7, 2026, the work suitability requirement has been dropped to Lv. 1 — meaning any Pal with Lumbering at any level can now gather it. This includes early-game starters like Lifmunk and Tanzee. All 63 Lumbering Pals in the game now clear the bar. This change unblocks four accessories that together require 90 Ancient Bark, making the material far more accessible to players who never built a specialist logging team.

How to Reach Wildlife Sanctuary No. 1

Fast travel to the Sea Breeze Archipelago Castaway Great Eagle Statue and head north toward coordinates 57, -677. You will need a flying or swimming Pal mount to cross the water. The sanctuary is clearly visible as a large domed area.

What Ancient Bark Looks Like

Inside the sanctuary, look for glowing tree stumps. These are distinct from normal trees — they have a bright sparkle and shine that regular wood nodes do not. They are spread across the island, so circle the area and you will find several in one run.

How to Harvest Ancient Bark

Use any axe or logging tool to chop the glowing stumps. A Refined Metal Axe or better is recommended for speed. Each stump drops approximately 30 Ancient Bark when fully broken. The Plasma Multicutter is the fastest tool available if you have one unlocked.

The drones on Sanctuary No. 1 are the easiest to avoid of the three islands. The forest environment gives you natural cover between trees and stumps, so you can move between nodes with less exposure than the other two sanctuaries.

What Is Ancient Bark Used For?

Ancient Bark is used in the following endgame accessory recipes:

Air Walker Mk I — mobility accessory for aerial traversal (15 Ancient Bark)
Islander’s Tool Belt — boosts Max Carrying Capacity and Speedy Worker, useful for mining and resource runs (30 Ancient Bark)
Pal Tamer’s Glasses — grants Mercy Hit (attacks cannot drop a target below 1 HP) and reveals hidden Pal info (15 Ancient Bark). [v1.0.4] Mercy Hit now also applies to attacks made while you are riding a Pal, fixing a bug where mounted combat could kill capture targets the glasses were supposed to protect.
Reptyro Charm — grants Heat Resistance Lv. 3 and Fire Resistance Lv. 4 (30 Ancient Bark)

How to Get Ancient Lava in Palworld

Ancient Lava comes from Wildlife Sanctuary No. 2, located on the western side of the map in the volcanic region between Sakurajima Island and the Forgotten Island.

How to Reach Wildlife Sanctuary No. 2

Fast travel to the Ruined Fortress City fast travel point in the northern part of the volcano region at approximately -563, -240. From there, head to the sanctuary at roughly -677, -113. You need a flying or swimming mount. The terrain around this island is volcanic and rocky, which makes the glowing lava nodes easy to identify against the landscape.

What Ancient Lava Looks Like

Ancient Lava nodes appear as small purple and blue glowing rock formations. The in-game description calls it a mass of lava sealed with blue lava that is still giving off heat. They look similar to lava terrain but are distinguishable by their sparkle and the slightly different coloring from the regular blue lava streams on the island.

How to Harvest Ancient Lava

Use a pickaxe or the Plasma Multicutter to mine the glowing nodes. Each node yields approximately 30 Ancient Lava. The volcanic sanctuary has less natural cover than No. 1, so the drones have wider lines of sight here. Move deliberately between nodes and break line of sight behind rock formations when needed.

Three drones patrol this sanctuary. It is manageable but requires more awareness than the first island.

What Is Ancient Lava Used For?

Ancient Lava is used in the following endgame accessory recipes:

Air Walker Mk II — upgraded aerial mobility accessory
Warsect Terra’s Belt — combines Defense Up and Health Up, both at a high level, making it one of the best defensive accessories in the game

How to Get Ancient Bone in Palworld

Ancient Bone comes from Wildlife Sanctuary No. 3, the hardest of the three sanctuaries and the one furthest from the main starting area. It is located in the far northeastern corner of the map, on a yellow sandy island.

How to Reach Wildlife Sanctuary No. 3

Fast travel to either the Deep Sand Dunes at approximately 527, 526 or The Furthest Flats at approximately 473, 686 in the desert region. From either point, fly or glide northeast toward the sanctuary at coordinates approximately 664, 636. The island is surrounded by open water, so a flying mount is far more practical than a swimming one for this run.

What Ancient Bone Looks Like

Ancient Bone nodes are large skeletal ribcage and spine formations that protrude from the sandy ground. They glow and sparkle like all Sanctuary resource nodes, and they stand out clearly against the yellow sand of the island. Many of them sit right next to large porous rock formations, so if you see those crater-pocked boulders, check the ground around them.

How to Harvest Ancient Bone

Use a high-tier pickaxe or the Plasma Multicutter. Each node drops approximately 30 Ancient Bone. Ancient Bone weighs 8 units per piece, which is significantly heavier than most resources. A single full node run can easily max out your carry weight. Empty your inventory before heading out or bring a Pal with a carrying capacity bonus to avoid getting stuck overweight on the island.

Sanctuary No. 3 is the most heavily patrolled of the three. The terrain is flat and open, giving drones a wide field of view with few natural barriers. Pals on the island range from level 45 to 60, so this is a late-game farming location. Move fast between nodes, prioritize the ones you can reach quickly, and fly out when your inventory fills up.

What Is Ancient Bone Used For?

Ancient Bone is used in the widest range of endgame accessory recipes:

Dogen Emblem — raises your Attack and your active Pal’s Attack to Level 4
Silvegis Emblem — raises your Defense and your active Pal’s Defense to Level 4
Vanguard Charm — grants Heat and Cold Resistance plus Health Up
Wandering Merchant Charm — grants Heat and Cold Resistance plus Max Carrying Capacity Level 4
Air Walker Mk III — advanced aerial mobility accessory
Air Walker EX — the top-tier aerial mobility accessory (requires 60 Ancient Bone, double all others)
Phantom Ring — endgame ring accessory

Each recipe uses 30 Ancient Bone except Air Walker EX, which requires 60. Crafting the full set costs around 240 Ancient Bone total, so consistent farming is needed before you can gear up completely.

How to Farm Ancient Materials Passively — Ancient Relic Recycler

Once you reach the endgame World Tree biome, you unlock access to the Ancient Relic Recycler. This base structure lets you feed collected Ancient Relics — dropped by Pals and bosses in the World Tree region — into a machine that converts them into Ancient Bone, Ancient Bark, and Ancient Lava over time.

The recycler requires a power source to run. Build a Power Generator and assign a Pal with Generating Electricity work suitability to keep it powered. Once running, it produces ancient materials in the background while you do other things, which makes it the best long-term supply method once your base can support it.

[v1.0.4] The related Ancient Material Synthesizer (tech level 78) had two bugs fixed in this patch: its collision model was incorrect, and its work speed multiplier was not being reapplied after resuming a saved game — meaning it ran slower than intended every time you logged back in. Both issues are now resolved.

Until you reach the World Tree, the sanctuary island runs described above are the only way to stock these materials.

New in v1.0.4 — Two Sub-Missions for Endgame Players

Patch v1.0.4 (September 7, 2026) added the first new quest content since Palworld 1.0 launched. If you are already making sanctuary runs for endgame materials, these missions are worth picking up at the same time.

Beyond Dimensions — picked up from an NPC at Fisherman’s Point on the south side of Mount Obsidian. Talk to the man with a slime to begin. This mission is aimed at high-level players and chains directly into the second.
From the Far Side of the Moon — unlocks automatically after completing Beyond Dimensions. This mission leads players toward the Terraria crossover content, including the Moon Lord raid boss.

Both missions are designed for players who are already in the endgame, so the difficulty and rewards are tuned accordingly. If you have Fisherman’s Point unlocked as a fast travel point, you can reach the quest-giver in under a minute.

v1.0.4 — Radiant Gem Element Bias Fixed

If you are farming the World Tree alongside your sanctuary runs, this v1.0.4 fix is important. Before the patch, Radiant Gems dropped by wild Pals in the World Tree had a biased element distribution — players would stack hundreds of one gem type while never reaching the threshold for another. Since each Awakening Crystal costs 50 Radiant Gems of a specific element plus 10 World Tree Holy Water, a skewed drop table could stall a build entirely. The distribution is now even across all nine elements. If your gem stockpile looks lopsided from before the patch, farm again after updating.

Tips for Farming All Three Ancient Materials Efficiently

Use the Plasma Multicutter whenever possible. It is the fastest harvesting tool in the game for both mining and chopping. If you have it, bring it to every sanctuary run.
Empty your inventory before going. Ancient Bone especially weighs 8 per unit. A full node run will overfill you fast if you arrive with stuff already in your bag.
Fly in, do not fight the drones. Drone kills reward you with nothing and drain your ammo and armor durability. The smash-and-grab approach is always faster than engaging.
Break line of sight to clear Wanted status. Get behind a rock or fly high on a fast mount. The Wanted timer clears once PIDF loses sight of you for long enough.
Stock well beyond a single craft. Most endgame accessories require 30 of a given material. If you plan to craft several, aim for 100 or more per material before committing to builds.
Prioritize No. 1 first if you are mid-game. Wildlife Sanctuary No. 1 has the lowest-level Pals and the easiest drones. Get Ancient Bark there before moving to the harder sanctuaries.
[v1.0.4] Any Lumbering Pal now qualifies for base-gathering of Ancient Bark. If your base is close enough to Sanctuary No. 1, you no longer need a specialist logger to collect it passively.

Quick Reference — All Three Ancient Materials

Ancient Bark — Wildlife Sanctuary No. 1 — coordinates 57, -677 — chop with any axe — used for Air Walker Mk I, Islander’s Tool Belt, Pal Tamer’s Glasses, and Reptyro Charm. [v1.0.4] Work Suitability requirement dropped to Lv. 1.
Ancient Lava — Wildlife Sanctuary No. 2 — coordinates -677, -113 — mine with pickaxe or Plasma Multicutter — used for Air Walker Mk II and Warsect Terra’s Belt
Ancient Bone — Wildlife Sanctuary No. 3 — coordinates 664, 636 — mine with pickaxe or Plasma Multicutter — used for Dogen Emblem, Silvegis Emblem, Vanguard Charm, Wandering Merchant Charm, Air Walker Mk III, Air Walker EX, and Phantom Ring

Where to Get Palworld

Palworld 1.0 is out now across all platforms:

For more details straight from the developer, visit the official Pocketpair Palworld page. You can also check Palworld on the Xbox Store for Game Pass details.

More Palworld Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you buy Ancient Bone, Ancient Bark, or Ancient Lava from a merchant in Palworld?

No. None of the three ancient materials are sold by any merchant in the game, including Wandering Merchants. The only ways to get them are mining or chopping the resource nodes at their respective Wildlife Sanctuary islands, or using the Ancient Relic Recycler once you reach the World Tree endgame biome.

Do I need a special tool to harvest ancient materials?

Ancient Bark requires any axe to chop the glowing stumps. Ancient Lava and Ancient Bone require a pickaxe or mining tool. Any tier of tool will work, but higher-quality tools harvest faster and are strongly recommended since you are working under drone patrol pressure. The Plasma Multicutter is the fastest option available.

[v1.0.4] Do I still need a high-level Lumbering Pal to gather Ancient Bark at my base?

No — this changed in patch v1.0.4 (September 7, 2026). The work suitability requirement for gathering Ancient Bark was dropped to Lv. 1. Any Pal with Lumbering at any level now qualifies, including early-game Pals like Lifmunk and Tanzee. All 63 Lumbering Pals in the game clear the bar.

What happens if the PIDF drones spot me?

Getting caught in a drone’s searchlight triggers a Wanted status and causes PIDF officers to spawn and chase you. The drones deal heavy damage on sustained hits. To clear the Wanted status, fly high on a fast mount until you break line of sight, or duck behind rocks and wait for the awareness timer to drop. Do not try to fight the drones — they reward nothing and waste your resources.

How many Ancient Bone do I need to craft endgame gear?

Most recipes that use Ancient Bone require 30 per craft. Air Walker EX is the exception at 60. If you plan to craft all seven accessories that use Ancient Bone, you need around 240 total. Stock well above your immediate needs before committing to crafting.

Are these materials the same as Ancient Civilization Parts?

No. Ancient Bone, Ancient Bark, and Ancient Lava are separate from Ancient Civilization Parts and Ancient Civilization Cores. The Ancient materials are mined from Sanctuary island nodes. Ancient Civilization Parts and Cores drop from Alpha Pals, raid bosses, and other high-level encounters. They are used in different recipes and should not be confused with each other.

Do the resource nodes respawn at the Wildlife Sanctuaries?

Yes, the nodes respawn over time. How long the wait takes depends on the resource respawn interval set in your world settings. If you farm a sanctuary dry, you can return after enough in-game time has passed and run the same route again. You can also join a different server temporarily if you do not want to wait for respawns on your main world.

[v1.0.4] What else changed in the September 7 patch that affects this guide?

Several things: (1) The Ancient Bark work suitability requirement dropped to Lv. 1 — any Lumbering Pal now qualifies. (2) The Mercy Hit passive on Pal Tamer’s Glasses (an Ancient Bark recipe) now correctly applies to attacks made while riding a Pal. (3) The Ancient Material Synthesizer had its collision and post-resume work speed bugs fixed. (4) Two new sub-missions — Beyond Dimensions and From the Far Side of the Moon — were added at Fisherman’s Point on Mount Obsidian, aimed at endgame players. (5) The Radiant Gem element drop bias in the World Tree was fixed, making Awakening Crystal farming reliable.